Bath-tub rail.



B. F- BROWN.

BATH TUB RAIL. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. I915- Patented-Apr, 9,191& B

Fig.1. v a

lnv enter Benjamin F. Brown. IJYW 81W At y- BENJAMIN I. BROWN, F FITCURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

BATH-TUB BAIL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN ment ,in Bath-Tub Bails, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification,

like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a novel construction of bath tub rail.

It is a matter of common knowledge that,

in getting into, moving around within and in getting out of bath tubs, many serious accidents have occurred due to the fact that a firm and certain grasp or footing is not afforded. The tub bodies as now made are generally enameledpresenting a surface of glass-like smoothness and, when wet with water carrying soap in solution, every movement with relation to the tub entails danger, especially in the case of young or aged or infirm persons. This novel construction disclosed efiects a safeguard by providing a substantially horizontal means which can be grasped. The same dangers are attendant upon the use of shower bath apparatus where, due to the presence of soap and water upon the glazed base of the inside of the tub, an exceedingly insecure footing is produced. This device has an arm adapted for use in such cases. Swung vertically upward from the tub side into locked position, a secure and firm hold is afiorded. As bath tubs are manufactured in varying sizes and shapes, this device is made adjustable so as to fit accurately the didercnt tubs.

The object therefore of this invention is to provide a hand rail adapted to be positioned on the side of a bath tub.

Another object'is to provide such a bath tub rail with means for adjustably positioning it upon varying shapes and sizes of tubs.

A. further object. is to provide a transverse will more fully appear, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrange ment of parts hereafter fully described, illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

F. BROWN, v a citizen of the United States,.residing' at trated in thelaccompanyingdrawings, and plartlcularly pointed out in the appended c anus.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918. Application filed July 6, 1915. Serial No. 38,070.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bath tub showing the rail attached to its rim;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the hand rail as applied to a tub rim;

Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the fastening devices;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the front fastening;

Fig. 5 is a view of Fig. 4 looking toward theleft, parts being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the wall bracket;

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 77 of the modified form of rail fastening shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 88, Fig. 7 i

As bath tubs are ordinarily placed adjacent a wall, the rim of the tub 1 to which the hand rail is shown aflixed, will be designated as the rear rim 2. Inthis selected embodiment, the bath rail consists of two members, the rear rail 3 and the cross rail 4. The rear rail extends longitudinally the tub and is secured thereto by the clamps 5 while the cross rail, pivotally secured to the rear rail, extends across the tub and is secured to the front rim by means of the clamp 6. Both rails are suitably roughened to assure a good friction grip and, to this end, have knurled surfaces extending the major portions of their lengths. The parts 7 of both rails are substantially smooth and offer facile means of slidably adjustable engagement of the clamps thereon.

The rear clamps 5 are similar and each comprises a relatively fixed member 8 and the movable arm 9. The member 8 is substantially arched in shape and has an inner depending lip 10 and an outer upwardly projecting lip 11. The arm 9 is pivotally mounted between integral ears 12 of the fixed member and is provided with a shoulder 13. The knurled-headed set screw 14, received in threaded engagement in a longitudinal rib 15 integral with the fixed member 8, is adapted adjustably to impinge upon the shoulder 13. The mode of adj ustably positioning the clamp 5 upon a tub rim is shown in Fig. 3.

The clamps thus are provided each with a three-point bearing on the'tuba type of bearing which, as is Well known, permits of 1 The rail 3 is slidably recelved a wide range of adaptability to variant tub forms and sizes coincident with a high degree of retentivity. The edge of the rim 2 1s receivedwithin and bears against the support formed on the arched memberby the upwardly presented lip 11; the depend ng lip 10 bears upon the rim at that portion which downwardly curves to form the tub side; while the arm 9, which adjustably and. tensionably impinges upon the outer tub side, forms the third bearing point The member 8, sufficiently arched to accommodate varying degrees of rim curvature, is shown, in this selected embodiment, as having a substantial clearance above the mm 2 of the tub; In such manner each clamp is positioned on the tub and is retentively affixed thereon by turning down the screw ,1 1the end of which, impinging upon the integral shoulder 13 of the pivoted arm 9, forces the arm end positively against the outer tub side as shown in Fig. 3, and thus eifectuates the clamping function. x

within the sleeves 16 and may be retained therein by means of set screws 17. Each sleeve 16 has a swiveled mounting upon the fixed member 8 in order to allow for necessary angular adjustment when the clamps are positioned member 8. A screw 19, having a washer 20,

is received in threaded engagement within the reduced portion 18 and functions to retain the sleeve movably seated upon the arched member.

The cross rail 4 at'it s rear end terminates in a sleeve 21 preferably integral therewith which is adapted to receive therethrough the longitudinal rail The cross rail may be held against movement thereon by means of the set screw 22. The forward end of the cross rail is detachably secured to the clamp 6. The clamp 6 is similar in structure to the clamps 5 except, instead of the sleeve, it bears a similarly mounted swiveled yoke 23 between the two members of which is pivotally mounted the socket 24. The upper portion of this socket is slightly constrlcted so that the cross rail is retained therein against vertical dislodgment.

When this device is used in connectionv longitudinal or rear rail 3 into substantially upright position where. it is retained by means of a bracket 25 suitably afiixed to an adjacent wall. The bracket 25 consists of a fixed member 26 to which is plvotally 28 adapted to be received in threaded en- C gagement with the fixed member.

A modified form of the clamping member which isused to secure the hand rail to the tub is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This type is adapted to be used when the tub rim is positioned so closely against a wall thatit is impracticable to secure the adjustable clamps thereon. Or it maybe used with tubs of the general type indicated in Fig .8 inwhich the tub rim extends to the floor or a substantial portion of the way thereto. In this form the rail receiving sleeve 29 is provided with a stem 30 which is threaded to receive in engagement therewith the nuts 31 and 32. Theplate 33 suitably apertured therefor is adapted to be positioned upon the stem, 30 between the nuts. The rim 34 of the tub has an aperture 35' adapted to receive the nut 32. A slot'36-leads from the aperture 35 a short distance on-the tub rim as is indicated in Fig. 7. To secure this rail engaging sleeve to the rim the stem bearing the nuts is inserted in the aperture and 1s slipped along the-slot assuming the position shown in Fig. 7 inwhich the lower nut 32 impinges upon the under face of the rim adjacent the slot while the plate 33 functions to cover the slot and aperture and to prevent the access of water thereto. Upon the turning down of the upper nut 31 the sleeve is retentively secured to the rim when the hand rail may be inserted in the sleeve 29 and thus retained adjacent the tub rim.

This invention thus provides a structure which is readily and easily adaptable to divers sizes and shapes of bath tubs. It is of the utmost simplicity of adjustment, has a low productive cost and it efliciently' ac complishes its function both when used with the ordinary bath tub ap liances and when used in connection with s ower bath appa ratus.

It is to be understood that the construction disclosed herein is illustrative ,but not restrictive and that the same maybe modified within the meaning and scope of the claims which follow.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j a

1. The combination of a bath tub with a hand rail extending longitudinally the tub, means for securing the .rail to the tub, a cross rail extending transversely the tub, anlgl means for securing the cross rail on the tu 2. The combination of a bath tub with a hand rail extending longitudinally the tub, means for adjustably securing said rail to the tub, a cross rail extending transversely the tub, and means for adjustably securing the cross'rail to the tub.

3. The combination of a'bath tub, a longi- 130 i longitudinal rail,

tudinal rail and a cross rail, means for adjustably securing said longitudinal rail to the rim of the tub side, a socket member adjustablysecured to the opposite side of the tub rim to receive one end of the cross rail, and means for pivotally securing the other cross rail end on 7 said longitudinal rail whereby said cross rail may be turned on the longitudinal rail to afi'or'd an upright hand rail.

4. The combination of a bath tub, a longitudinal rail and a cross rail, means for adjust-ably securingsaid longitudinal rail to the rim of one side of the tub, means for securing one end of said cross rail to said means for detachably securing the second end of said cross rail to the oher tub side rim and means fixed above said tub adapted adjustably to retain said second cross rail end whereby said cross rail may be swung about said longitudinal rail into upright position and there retained. 5. The combination of a bath tub, hand rails therefor, and a plurality of rail-engaging clamps adapted adjustably to be secured on the rim-of said tub, said clamps each comprising an arched member adapted substantially to fit said rim and a pivoted adjustable member adapted tensionably to im pinge against the adjacent tub side, whereby said rails are detachably secured to said tub rim.

6. The combination of a bath tub, hand rails therefor and a plurality of railengaging clamping members adapted adjustably to be secured to the rim of said tub, a sleeve mounted on each of said members to receive and retain said rails, said sleeves being swiveled to allow for angular rail adjustment when said clamping members are afiixed to the curved portions of said rims adjacent the tub ends.

7. The combination of a bath tub, hand rails therefor and a plurality of rail-engaging clamps adapted adjustably to be secured to the tub rim, each comprising an arched member, a sleeve swiveled to said member and adapted to receive therein a rail portion, ears on said arched member, a movable arm pivotally mounted between said ears, a shoulder on said arm, a set screw carried in threaded engagment on said member and adapted adjustably to impinge on said shoulder to cause said arm to be forcibly pressed against the side of the tub whereby said rail may be secured to said tub.

8 The combination of a bath tub, a longitudinal rail adjustably secured to a tub rim, a cross rail having a sleeve at one end adapted to receive therethrough said longitudinal rail to permit said cross rail to be turned thereon through an arc in a plane substantially normal to said longitudinal rail, a clamping member adapted to be ad justably secured to the side of the tub opposite "said longitudinal rail, a forked support swiveled on said member, a socket pivotally mounted between the forks of said support and adapted to receive and retain the other end of the cross rail.

9. The combination of'a bath tub, a longitudinal rail and a cross rail, means for securing the longitudinal rail to the rim of the tub side, means for adjustably securing one end of the cross rail to the opposite tub rim and means for pivotally securing the other cross rail end to the longitudinal rail whereby said cross rail may be turned on the loriilgitudinal rail to afiord an upright hand ra Y 10. The combination of a bath tub, a handrail extending longitudinally one side of the tub, supporting members therefor, each comprising an arched shaped member adapted to embrace the edge of the tub, a shouldered member pivotally attached thereto adapted to engage theedge of the tub rim and the adjacent side of the tub and a screw-threaded member adapted to lock the rim engaging member in position, a yoke pivotally mounted on sa1d arched member and a rail rece1ving member pivotally mounted on said yoke. I

11. The combination of a bath tub, a longitudinally extending rail, rail supporting means consisting of an arched clamping member having a pivotally mounted shouldered extension adapted to engage the edge of the tub rim and the adjacent side of the tub, means for locking the same and a member adapted to receive and hold the longitudinal rail.

12. The combination of a bath tub, a longitudinally extending rail, rail supporting means consisting of an arched member and an extension pivotally mounted thereon having oppositely disposed shoulders adapted respectively to engage the tub rim and a locking screw and means swiveled upon said extension to receive said longitudinally extending rail.

13. The combination of a bath tub, a longitudinally extending rail, a cross rail, rail supporting means consisting of an arched clamping member having a pivotally mounted shouldered extension adapted to engage the edge of the tub rim and the adjacent side of the tub, means for locking the same and a member adapted to receive and hold the longitudinal rail, a socket member adapted to be adjustably and pivotally secured to the opposite tub rim and adapted to receive and hold one end of the cross raiL 14-. An adjustable clamp adapted to be secured to the rim of a tub comprising an arched member having a projection adapted to bear upon the tub rim and a projection adapted to engage the edge of the tub rim whereby said arched member has a substantial clearance above the tub rim, means v mounted on said arched member.

15. An, adjustable clamp adapted to be secured to the rim of a tub comprising an arched member having a projection adapted to bear upon the tub rim and a projection adapted to engage the edge of the tub rim whereby said arched member has a substantial clearance above the tub rim, a lever arm pivotally mounted on said arched member, and means on said arched member adapted forcibly to press said arm against the adj acent tub sidewhereby said clamp is securely retained on the tub rim;

16. An adjustable clamp adapted to secured to a tub rim comprising an arched member, swiveled supporting means carried by said member, a shoulder onsaid member adapted to bear'upon the tub rim and a projection on said member adapte to engage the end of the tub rim, ears on said arched member, a movable arm pivotally mounted between said ears, a shoulder on said arm, a setis'crew carried in threaded engagement on member and adapted adjusta 1y to impinge on said shoulder to cause the movable arm to be forcibl pressed against the side of the tub where y said clamp may be secured to the tub rim.

17; An adjustable clamp adapted to be secured to a tub rim comprising an arched member, means on said arched member adapted to secure said member to each rlm, 

